


fallen leaves and cracked ribs

by faerygf



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: I HAVEN'T WRITTEN AN ACTUAL PIECE SINCE I WAS 14 BEAR WITH ME, M/M, also i am awful at summaries so just gimme a chance pls, rip iwaizumi's (ex) girlfriend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-20
Updated: 2015-11-20
Packaged: 2018-04-30 10:22:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5160221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faerygf/pseuds/faerygf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Iwaizumi traveled off for college, Oikawa was certain the two would keep in touch. After all, they were best friends--right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	fallen leaves and cracked ribs

   "Are you listening, Iwaizumi?"

   "Hm?" he blinked. "Yeah."

   Minori pressed her lips together, glancing at the magazines stacked on the cafe's counter. On the cover was Oikawa Tooru. A cheeky grin was plastered on his face, his eyes menacing despite the peace sign his fingers formed. They were slender, taped, and familiar. Iwaizumi couldn't help the huff of air that left his nostrils, his back muscles tensing involuntarily. From the cold, he rationalized. Minori squeezed his hand to draw his attention.

   "He looks really cool, doesn't he?" she asked, making pleasant conversation.

   "Yeah," said Iwaizumi, working to soothe his features.

   "It must have been really amazing to have a player like that on your high school team."

   "It was nothing too significant."

   It was significant. It was the sole reason Iwaizumi had selected a college on the complete opposite end of the island. It was why he averted his eyes from curly brunettes, why he threw away his favorite band t-shirts and hated the rain and skipped over the majority of songs on his phone. Iwaizumi Hajime was in love with Oikawa Tooru.

   A small lie, followed by a small kiss.

* * *

 

   Iwaizumi practically growled at his calculus assignment, ruffling his disarrayed locks in exasperation. Who the hell understands this stuff, anyway? he thought, throwing a glance at the clock. The glow leered at him, ticking down the seconds to the exam breathing down his neck. "Haaa," he groaned, titling his neck and blinking slowly. He fished for his wallet, grumbling about wasting his life savings on coffee runs when his phone buzzed.

 **From: Hanamaki**  
**11/8/2015 1:34 AM**  
**Changed my workout routine. I would demolish you in arm wrestling. What do you think of Miyoni brand protein shakes?**

   Iwaizumi was tapping his reply when his phone buzzed again.

 **From: Hanamaki**  
**11/8/2015 1:35 AM**  
**Oh, Oikawa called to ask about you the other day. Said he hasn't been able to reach you.**

   Iwaizumi stared at the glowing screen, everything coming to a halt. He forgot to blink. He forgot to breathe. The room was silent, save for the pounding of blood in his eardrums and the whirring of his desk fan.

   He didn't know exactly how the downfall happened, but when Oikawa breathed out his airy laughs, Iwaizumi felt as if he had swallowed the sun. His cheeks burned when Oikawa threw his arm around him, and when Iwaizumi patted him on the back, his hands were hesitant and shaky and lingering--and so Iwaizumi started to distance himself. He started putting his phone on silent and stopped having an appetite for their usual lunch gatherings, started making up assignments and stopped letting Oikawa sleep in his t-shirts. He stopped taking walks with him, because goddamn Oikawa looks beautiful in moonlight, his blanched features all flat planes and sharp edges and Iwaizumi's heart would flutter against his rib cage like a butterfly in a child's grasp and--

  It was for the best. Because Iwaizumi didn't think he could obscure his feelings any longer, and if he were to slip up, if he were to confess to his best friend in a fit of rapture or if he couldn't combat the urge to place feather-light kisses on Oikawa's temples as he slept, he would never forgive himself. If he was going to ruin their friendship, it was at the very least going to be intentional. He felt a distant ache in his chest as he remembered telling Oikawa where he was to attend college, Oikawa's brows knitting together as a wave of confusion took hold of his features and then, a flicker of hurt. Remembered the way Oikawa had congratulated him and never breathed a word of being distressed, though he clutched at the back of Iwaizumi's shirt that night in his sleep.

  Iwaizumi never bought his coffee.

* * *

   Iwaizumi pulled his beanie low. His roommate, Kamiya, had another girl over tonight--so he decided it was best to slip out while he could, taking a stroll down Saint's Boulevard. The brickwork was lined with Victorian era streetlights, golden lights strung between their poles to celebrate the holidays. White flowers, so small they almost went unnoticed, sprouted out along the path. Lights of the distant city twinkled off campus. It was a fairly popular hangout spot, so Iwaizumi wasn't too surprised when he saw a lean figure ahead.

  Until, at least, the form came closer.

  Iwaizumi forgot how to breathe; his heart, however, remembered all too well how to beat. The blood swam in his ears, his muscles locked. Wrong. He's gotta be wrong.

  One hundred eighty four centimeters, seventy two kilograms, shit-eating grin, number one, bedhead from hell--what? What the fuck? What the _fuck_ what the _FUCK_ \--

  "Iwa-chan!~"

  Grandiose waving, a sing-song voice. Wrong, wrong, wrong--

   "It's me, Oikawa! Your long lost lover!"

    "... _what the fuck_?"

    Oikawa jogged up to him, still standing shell shocked, and threw his arms around his shoulders. "Iwa-chaaan, it's been so long! I wanted to surprise you! What a cute expression."

   "What--what are you doing here?" Iwaizumi couldn't think, couldn't blink, couldn't breathe.

   "I haven't heard from you, so I thought I'd fly in to visit! It was my only option, you see? It's been lonely with you, Iwa-chan."

   "It's only been a month. Don't be so melodramatic."

   "A month!" scoffed Oikawa. The atmosphere thickened, wrapping around their throats. "Iwa-chan, a month since you've answered my calls. But you haven't seen my face in three months--do you realize how much I've missed you, Iwa-chan?"

   "You had better get used to it," Iwaizumi said flatly. "I'm going to have even less free time from here on out. Oh, speaking of--I have an astronomy test I need to study for. Until next time."

   He spun on his heel, holding his hand up in a lame wave. Oikawa fucking _gawked_. He was kidding, right? No way would he do that to Oikawa. There had to be something else, his phone bill wasn't paid, he had shitty reception here--Oikawa had come all the way out here, there's no way Iwaizumi wasn't stoked about it--he wouldn't accept it.

   Oikawa snatched his wrist.

   "Do you not understand..." Oikawa said lowly, eyes drilling the pavement. "Do you not understand how hard this is for me, Hajime?"

   Iwaizumi froze at the use of his name. He knew. And he knew that whatever heartache Oikawa was harboring, he was having it tenfold. Because even now, even with this ominous mood, even in the middle of campus with frozen fingers and red noses--he wanted to fucking kiss him. He wanted to sprinkle kisses all over Oikawa, he wanted to trace patterns on his cheek and tell him everything is okay, he's right here, everything is fine--he clenched his fist instead.

   "Ha-ha, Oikawa," forced Iwaizumi. "Let me go now, Oikawa--"

   Oikawa tightened his grip. A red outline of his fingers blossomed on the other's wrist. "Why--Why are you doing this?"

   "Doing what--"

   "Shut up!" Oikawa's voice cracked. Iwaizumi closed his eyes at the sound of it. "You're not one to talk circles, Iwa. What's going on? Why have you been avoiding me?"

   The two took a deep breath, the smoke rising from their nostrils in huffs. A car alarm sounded off somewhere. Neither noticed. Iwaizumi turned to face Oikawa. The golden glow of the strung lights and the moon's blanch made him even more angelic than he already was. Beauty from another world. _Come on_ , thought Iwaizumi, _what's with this shoujo setting? ...That's exactly what someone in a shoujo manga would think._

   "It's for the best."

   The words hung between them, weighing down their chests enough to crack ribs. Iwaizumi pulled his scarf over his mouth to hide the irregular plumes of smoke. Oikawa blamed the cold air for the warmth that stung at his eyes.

  "How do you know what's best for me?! How can you _abandon me_ and then act like you're doing me a _favor_?! What is wrong with--!"

  "You don't understand anything!" Red crescents bloomed on Iwaizumi's palms. "I love you, Oikawa!"

  "I love you, Iwa--"

  "You don't _get it_!" Iwaizumi surged forward, twisting his fist in the others collar and yanking them flush against each other. "Will you just shut up for two seconds and  _listen_?! When you watch movies with me, it's so hard for me not to rest my hand on your thigh. When I watch you serve, it's hard to not think about kissing you--do you get it now?! I'm in love with you and it pisses me off, so stay away!"

  " _No_."

  "I'm telling you to _go_ \--"

   "I said that I loved you, didn't I, Hajime?"

   Blood flooded Iwaizumi's head. The brutle air in his lungs halted.

   "Yeah, but you--what?"

   Warm trails made their way down Oikawa's cheeks, his face contorting. "I love you, I'm in love with you, so don't tell me to go away anymore, okay? I love you, so it hurts, it hurts, Hajime--"

   Iwaizumi's hand flew up in an instant, his index finger hooking behind Oikawa's ear. His hands were cold, his breath warm against Oikawa's cheek. His lips were warmer. Oikawa stiffened, his heart rate skyrocketing. His lashes fluttered shut and a moment later, the two were panting, grabbing at the other like they were the only thing keeping them grounded.  Their noses brushed against each other, condensation fogging between them.

   "I'm sorry, Tooru. I'm sorry. I love you. I love you."

   "I love you, Hajime."

   Iwaizumi squeezed his arms against the other's waist, drawing a small smile from him.

   "You wanna go get some coffee?"


End file.
